Erasing Limits for Amputees: Athletic Actor John Siciliano Portrays Both Able-bodied and Disabled Characters
Pam Vetter
June 21, 2008
"Life is about choices. You can't let a disability stop you from living," John encourages.
Despite being an amputee above the right knee as a result of a car accident, John hasn't allowed anything to stop him from reaching his goals. In fact, he is a goal-setter extraordinaire.
He set goals and trained vigorously to become an athlete again. As a result, he broke records and competed in the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
He set goals to find success in film and television and became a professional actor appearing on hit shows such as "ER".
Today, he travels around the world sharing his story with recent amputees.
No matter what goal he accomplishes, John never forgets the day that changed his life.
"When I got hurt on June 13th, 1993, I had no medical insurance. I was 22-years-old, playing college soccer, and going to school for theatre. I believed I was invincible. After the accident, I was given an Endolite brochure about amputees running track. I thought, 'Wow, it's possible.' I put that brochure by my bed and looked at it every day. I thought, 'Maybe some day that will be me.' I went through the whole process of getting my first prosthetic leg and I was shocked. It had pantyhose on it. That's when I was introduced to the world of medical insurance," John says with a laugh, "They didn't care that I wanted to be a Paralympic athlete. It was the prosthetic leg I was given and it was 'take it or leave it'. The first year the phantom pain was miserable. I only get phantom pain now when I get ill. I take a massager to my leg and it helps. My goal is to help other amputees through exercise."
John has created a three-part exercise video for amputees that is currently in post-production and will gain exposure through the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA), the Challenged Athletes Foundation, and Hanger Prosthetics.
"Part one is stretching and strengthening you can do at home; part two includes workouts you can do in the gym; and part three focuses on running on the track for amputees. The videos feature many amputees I've met as I've traveled around the country working with soldiers and people who are newly injured."
John is often seen as the go-to guy for amputees who want to run again.
"The one thing amputees lack is physical therapy. My message is that physical therapy is forever. It doesn't stop even after you stop seeing your physical therapist. It's an ongoing thing – you still have to go home and do your stretching and strengthening. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for a prosthetist and physical therapist that took me under their wings."
John Siciliano's journey in the entertainment industry has required a rare tenacity.
"Now, if I go into an audition, it's for the wounded soldier role. When I first started, my first two roles were as the crazy one-legged homeless guy. My first role for 'ER', I got a call from my agent. I was so excited thinking, 'Wow, what am I going to play, a young doctor…' The agent said, 'No, the role is for a one-legged homeless guy.' At first I was disappointed but one of my friends reminded me, 'You're an actor.' He was right. I'm an actor. I portrayed this character and when I looked at it like that, with a positive spin, I got two episodes of 'ER'. At the end of the shoot, when I took my wig off, they were shocked. That's what you have to do as an actor, transform into your character," John explains.
"The best role I've played was as the lead guest star on a Showtime Series called 'Sleeper Cell' where I played an American Muslim training Jihad to fight in Afghanistan. It was amazing. I had military weapons training; I had to learn how to rip apart an AK-47 in my sleep. I played this tough guy, a bad guy that you like. I had to learn stunts, fighting and tons of dialogue. I had to learn all about Muslims. It was a great opportunity. My disability was revealed deep into the storyline. The character lost his leg over there (in Afghanistan) and he was off the radar. He was tough and he pulls up his pant leg to reveal a bang stick as a weapon. Hats off to Showtime and the writers for that role because they were looking for able-bodied actors. This was a heck of a role so I had to fight for it. I auditioned against able-bodied actors. They saw able-bodied, arm amputees and leg amputees for that role."
As he hopes for more non-traditional auditions, he wants the entertainment industry to know that, "Amputees are just everyday people. We don't have to be the crazy homeless guy or the peg-legged pirate. We can be doctors, lawyers, cops, we can be people in society where it's not all about the disability."
People rarely know that John has a disability.
"No one ever would know that I'm an amputee. I don't mind bringing it to my character because that's who I am. Since I get out there and work, directors who've worked with me get excited because this is something they can use to add dimension to the character. But, I've auditioned for roles where they didn't know that I am an amputee. I did an episode of 'LAX' and I don't think anyone ever knew. My agent didn't tell them. I got the role, I shot it and never talked about it."
John was recently the first amputee to appear on the "American Gladiators" television show on May 12th.
"It was the most physically challenging thing I've ever done in my life. I got so many hits on my website because people think they can't do things. Then, they see with technology, with the will and the resources, nothing is impossible."
Nothing is impossible to John as he attempts everything and owns a closet full of prosthetics to match each adventure.
"I own about 15 different legs: a spring leg, a long distance running leg, a climbing leg, two micro-processors, a water leg and more. I'm very blessed because I was once that kid who couldn't afford anything."
As he works on a documentary and a film about his life, all of his passion is focused on giving back.
"I'm in the editing bay trying to put together stories of people with disabilities playing sports and disabled athletes giving back. This is my turn to go and help people. It was an amputee that took me under his wing and inspired me."
In the documentary, cameras follow John as he meets a 17-year-old boy who was the victim of a shark attack and lost his leg. He also plans to show his meeting with a 16-year-old boy who lost his leg one year after a car accident. When the boy's car ran out of gas, he attempted to push the car and another car hit him.
"Families are affected by amputations as well. One mother called me and she's helpless, she doesn't know what to do. Her son used to play sports, but since the injury he's grumpy and has been hanging out with the wrong crowd. I want to help turn situations around and try to get them back into sports. I know it's going to be tough right now, but I tell them it's going to be okay. I help them set goals. You set one goal and once you reach that goal, you keep setting your goals higher and higher."
John takes his own advice as he has accomplished so much by setting goals in his own life.
"My goal now is to be a series regular on a TV show. That's every actor's goal to be a working actor. Actor Robert David Hall is a great example for all of us on 'CSI.' He's what it's about. He's a working actor who has a disability but his work is not focused on his disability. Performers with disabilities are often times shut out of the process and we have a lot of questions. Why won't they see us? Where does it start? Is it with the writers writing the characters? Is it about the casting directors being open-minded? Are the agents really trying to get us in those doors?"
There have been parts that seemed like a perfect fit, but John couldn't even get through the door.
"For the movie 'Music Within' they wouldn't see me for the amputee role. They would only see me for the character with cerebral palsy, but not the amputee role. At least let me read. I don't care if you don't cast me, just give me the chance to read."
No matter what, John hopes that every performer with a disability is prepared when the time comes.
"I think it's important that we stay up on our training because one thing you don't want to do is get comfortable. It's not handed to anybody in this business, so you can't think because you're in a chair they're going to give the role to you. If you get a door to crack open, it's an opportunity. We all need to keep up on our craft. Do your homework, do your job, because when we get those little breaks, you have to be prepared so you can hit a homerun!"
For more information on John Siciliano visit www.johnsiciliano.net.
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